Wisconsin’s Gary Andersen named new coach at Oregon State

More stunning news involving Oregon State: On the same day they formally announced a $42 million football facilities upgrade, the Beavers named Gary Andersen their new head coach.

Andersen had been at Wisconsin just two years, having led the Badgers to a Big Ten division title this season. He replaces Mike Riley, a 61-year-old Corvallis native who last shocked the college football world when he departed for Nebraska.

Riley was making $1.5 million a year at Oregon State, the lowest salary among Pac-12 head coaches. Andersen was making a reported $2.2 million at Wisconsin. His move comes just a couple years after Bret Bielema abruptly left Wisconsin, for what many would also consider a “lesser” job at Arkansas. It’s fair to wonder what’s going on in Madison these days.